Frances Tiafoe, Venus Williams Partner With BetterHelp
Tennis stars Venus Williams, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz will donate up to $3 million to BetterHelp — the world’s largest therapy platform — to help provide free mental health services. Tiafoe, who became the first American male to advance to the Quarterfinals at the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2011, explained that he wants to “help reduce the stigma that comes with asking for help.”
Vince Staples Teams up with Kenya Barris for New Netflix Project
West coast rapper Vince Staples will produce and star in his own scripted Netflix series. Set in Long Beach, CA, The Vince Staples Show will be loosely inspired by his younger years. The show will include two showrunners, Ian Edelman and EP Maurice Williams. Edelman is currently working on Entergalactic, the upcoming animated program that he co-created with Kid Cudi. Blackish‘s Kenya Barris will serve as an executive producer.
Volkswagen Sets Sights on Porsche IPO
Have you always wanted to buy a Porsche, but didn’t quite have the means to do so? Now, you will be able to…sort of. According to reports, the maker of luxury speedsters is looking to IPO by the end of the year. Porsche’s parent company Volkswagen is looking to take the company public at an expected valuation of $60-85 billion and is projected to be the largest IPO in German history. The move will enable Porsche’s efforts to go electric over the next several years.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
Sue Bird Bids Farewell to the WNBA, Storm Fall to the Aces
And that’s a wrap on an epic career. The Seattle Storm‘s Sue Bird played her final minutes on Tuesday as the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Seattle Storm, 97-92. Bird played for 20 years for the organization, leading the team to four WNBA titles and countless other accolades. Since announcing her retirement, Bird has taken several steps to prepare for her life off of the hardwood, including an commentating stint alongside former UConn teammate Diana Taurasi during ESPN’s alternative broadcast of the women’s college championship and, more recently, an investment in NY/NJ Gotham FC.
Kim Kardashian Dives into Private Equity with New Venture
At this point, there aren’t too many industries in which Kim Kardashian hasn’t dipped a toe. The billionaire mogul announced that she is teaming up with former Carlyle partner Jay Sammons to jumpstart a new venture, SKYY Partners. According to the Wall Street Journal, the new firm will focus its investments in “consumer products, hospitality, luxury, digital commerce, and media.”
Skepta Prepares to Auction First Painting with Sotheby’s
Skepta is an artist in every sense of the word. The UK grime rapper is auctioning his first piece of contemporary art at Sotheby’s in London this month. Entitled “Mama Goes to Market,” the painting encapsulates Skepta’s fear that his young daughter will not be able to visit a market in his parents’ home country Nigeria, which is his parents’ home country. Pre-sale evaluations estimate the painting to fetch between $46,000-$69,000 at the final gavel.
NBA and Sorare Tip-off New Fantasy Partnership
The NBA regular season is just around the corner. Amidst keeping track of the offseason moves, avid fans will have something new to prepare for with the game’s return next month. Sorare is teaming up with the NBA to serve as the official NFT fantasy partner and will debut a new fantasy offering for the 2022-23 season. The dealalso includes the participation of the National Basketball Players Association. Sorare has generated more than 2 million registered users in 185 countries through its existing partnerships with the MLB and global soccer.
Boardroom has all the details of the deal.
Jake Paul Faces Hardest Opponent In Anderson Silva
There was a time when people laughed at Jake Paul for wanting to go from YouTuber to professional boxer. Now, after a perfect 5-0 record — and $40 million earned in 2021 — the 25-year-old has arguably his most challenging bout with former UFC legend, 47-year-old Anderson Silva. Silva hasn’t boxed since October 2020, but regardless, he’s a former Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history. Still, Paul should have his hands (and wallet) full when he fights Silva on Oct. 29.
Serena Willams Smashes Viewership Record with 6.9M Viewers
Even on her way out, Serena Williams is still setting records. According to ESPN, an average of 4.6 million viewers tuned in to witness Willams face Australian Ajla Tomljanovich in Friday night’s lineup at the US Open. The match peaked with 6.9 million viewers and was the highest netting ESPN tennis telecast on record, smashing a previous record of 3.9 million for the men’s final at the 2012 Wimbledon.
Nike Gets Sustainable in Newest Apparel Collection
Nike is doing its part to lower its carbon footprint. The Swoosh will reduce its standard production carbon footprint by 75% with its newest Forward Apparel Collection. The line will be constructed out of 70% recycled material. Pieces from the collection include pullover hoodies and crewnecks for both men and women, with an expected release date of Sept. 8.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
